Published on Monday 03 July 2023
What would you like to see at Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre? How would you like to see it improve?
These are some of the question residents and visitors are being asked as part of a new survey by BCP Council.
Feedback from the survey will also be used to encourage more people to visit, and will form part of the centre’s bid for Accredited Museum status, the benchmark for good, well-run museums.
This accreditation will show that the visitor centre takes proper care of its collections. It also opens up exciting funding opportunities and gives confidence to donors who may wish to support the visitor centre in preserving heritage and inspiring future generations.Hengistbury Head enjoys an illustrious history that stretches over 12,000 years back to when the first settlers arrived in the late Stone Age period searching for new hunting ground.
Today, residents and visitors come to walk round and over this nature-rich headland, enjoying the unparalleled views and clean, sandy beaches.
The Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre, which is owned and operated by BCP Council, sits at the entrance to the headland.
The centre opened in 2014 to help explain the area, its history, wildlife, archaeology and geology to visitors.
The centre is visited by thousands of residents and visitors annually and boasts exhibition and interactive displays inside, as well as space for educational trips and group visits. This survey will feed into the future plans for the centre.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy commented:
"Hengistbury Head is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and enjoys international importance in terms of its archaeology, so it’s vital for us that the visitor centre attracts people to find out more about the area and to get the most out of their visit.
"We want to hear from everyone who comes to Hengistbury Head – whether they’re a regular visitor, come once a year, or even less.
"We want to find out who is and isn’t using our visitor centre, why people enjoy visiting, what needs improving and what we can do to attract more people, so I encourage everyone to get involved to help us plan and develop future services here."
The survey runs for 12 weeks, closing on 30 September 2023. To find out more and have your say, please visit the Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre survey here.